Paul reserves judgment on impeachment

9/8/13 10:11 AM EDT

The Obama administration has insisted the president has the authority to act against Syria without the permission of Congress – but that he wants to bring the representatives of the American people into the debate.

Speaking on “Fox News Sunday” the Republican senator from Kentucky said that Obama has shown a pattern of disregard for the constitution and Congress – and that Syria was the latest example.

“He has already been proven to try to go above the law,” Paul said, pointing to recess appointments and the delay of the Affordable Care Act.

But on impeachment, Paul was mum.

“Whether you impeach someone is a different question,” he said. “I wouldn’t make a judgment on that.”

Defending the strikes on Syria as a limited measure, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said last week that Obama would be impeached if he tried to use actual ground troops in Syria.

“No one wants American boots on the ground. Nor will there be American boots on the ground, because there would be an impeachment of the president if they did that,” McCain said in an Arizona interview.